Pump



July 12, 1938. c. J. HUBER 2,123,781

PUMP

' Filed June 16, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet l July 12, 193s.

\ C. J. HUBER PUMP 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 16, 1936 Patented July12, 1938 UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

The invention relates to a pump which operates with themaximum of efliciency and the minimum of upkeep and which is at the same time positiveand continuous in its operation. In its positive operation it hasobvious advantages over the rotary types of pump and as compared to thereciprocating piston pump it avoids the loss of power incident toleakage by the piston and also the loss due to the friction of thepiston and the expense of upkeep incident to providing and maintainingpiston packing or rings, and over both types of pump, it has theadvantage that it eliminates the necessity for shaft packings or packingboxes. 1

Described in general terms the pump'of the invention comprises a.resilient or otherwise compressible and expansible and flexible tubeconnected at one end to the suction and at the other end to thedischarge and means for compressing the tube at intervals andprogressively from the suction toward the discharge.

In the operation of the pump the tube is closed or nearly closed bycompression at one point and the point of closure or compression isprogressed in the direction of discharge ejecting the fluid be-' ingpumped. Following each compression of the tube in this way it expandslikewise progressively in the same direction, admitting a new content offluid which is discharged by the next progressive compression of thetubes.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated a pump embodying thefeatures of the invention in the preferred form.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevation of the pump with the front plate or cover plateremoved.

Figure 2 is a section on the line 2-2 in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an elevation at right angles to Figure 1 showing a pump andan electric motor by which it may be operated.

Figure 4 is a section near the end of a tube showing a modified form ofresilient tube for use in this connection.

Figure 5 is a section taken in the vertical plane of the axis showing asecond form of pump embodying the invention. 1

Figure 6 is an elevation with the front lateral removed looking from theleft in Figure 5.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, each of which is used to indicatethe same or similar partsin the different figures, the constructionshown comprises a casing or housing I enclosing a pump chamber 2, whichis preferably of short cylindrical shape; the axis of the cylinder being(or. roe-149) shown as horizontal and open at one end, the opening beingclosed by the cover plate or front plate 3. The pump shaft 4 is mountedcoaxially with the casing in a suitable bearing shown externally at 5which is formed in the rear side of 5 the casing and this shaft carriessecured thereto within the casing the rotary compressor plate or carrier6. This plate is preferably of irregular shape as hereinafter describedand in the preferred form shown it is provided with 'arcuate 10 socketsl of cylindrical curvature with their axes parallel to shaft 4 and openat the peripheral edge of the plate as to relatively small arcs 8. Thesesockets I carry cylindrical pins 9 which serve as 4 rollers orfollowers. These in the form shown 15 project as to a portion of theircylindrical sides outwardly beyond the periphery of the plate throughthe openings 8. The casing l is provided at suitably spaced points withtubular projections l0 and II, connected to the chamber 2 as to the 0passages Ill and H therein. The passage l0 according to the arrangementshown is utilized as a suction passage and the passage II as a dischargepassage. The pump tube I2, already referred to as a resilient orotherwise collapsible 25 tube, extends through the passages l0 and I I,be-

ing passed from one to the other about the wall of the pump chamber 2upon and against which it is supported for the purposes hereinafterdescribed. This tube I2 is connected at one end to' 3D the suction andat the other end to the discharge or at its respective ends l2 and l 2"it may serve as the suction and/or discharge connections.

In the preferred form of the invention shown there is a thin flat stripof flexible metal l4 se- 35 cured .at one end adjacent the suctionpassage ID in any suitable manner as by means of a pin l5 about which itis looped. This strip I4 is passed about the chamber from the suction tothe exhaust overlying the tube I2, between the'pres- 40 sure rollers orfollowers 9 and the tube, the other end of the tube adjacent thedischarge as shown rests freely in a slot IS in the casing, so that thisend is free to move in the direction of the length of the tube.

The pressure rollers or pins 9 are arranged to give a graduallyincreasing compression of the tube from the first contact untilsubstantially complete compression is attained. In this connection itmay be noted that in the arrangement shown the rotary pressure plate 6rotates contraclockwise as indicated by the arrow. In order to giveprogressive compression of the tube described, the master followers orrollers 9' of the set of rollers 9, preferably at diametrically opat thedischarge end at I2".

posite points, are spaced outwardly by the maximum radius from thecenter of the shaft 4, and, to give gradually applied compression, eachsuccessive roller continuing in left handed rotation from each of themaster rollers or followers 9 is spaced inwardly toward the center ascompared to the master roller 9' to a slightly greater degree up to theroller 9" which in each instance is spaced inwardly to the greatestextent having the least radius from the shaft 4.

In the operation of the pump as shown, the shaft of the motor I! or anysuitable source of power, manual or mechanical, being connected in anysuitable manner as by means of a coupling 18 to the shaft 4, and thepump tube I2 being connected at the suction end l2 to a supply of fluidto be pumped and at the other or discharge end l2" to the desired pointof discharge, the pressure plate or carrier 6 is rotated in lefthandedrotation or counterclockwise, the direction of rotation being-merely amatter of arrangement. As the plate 6 rotates, it will be assumed thatone of the pressure rollers or pins 9 indicated at 9" but 'slightlycontacts the tube l2 immediately adjacent the suction passage box andprogresses in counterclockwise rotation. The next roller 9 to the righti. e. in right handed rotation, comes in a little closer contact withthe tube, applying a slight degree of pressure and this pressureincreases as the rollers to the right are brought progressively incontact with the tube till the master roller 9 which is spaced outwardlyat the greatest radius from the shaft 4 comes in contact with the tubeand closes it or substantially closes it. As the plate or carrier 6continues to rotate, the master roller 9' which has just come in contactwith the tube moves downwardly to the left and then upwardlyto the rightin contraclockwise rotation forcing the liquid contained in the tubeforwardly in contraclockwise direction through the tube and out As theroller 9' passes along the tube, the tube again expands back of saidroller and sucks in or receives a full quota of fluid which is advancedalong the tube ,as it is again progressively compressed by the action ofthe next roller 9' preceded by the roller 9", etc. which effect thegradual closing of the tube as already described, this gradual closingfeature being mainly to. avoid too sudden compression and too greatstrain on the tube which would tend to affect its length of life.

The pump thus operates with rapidly repeated successive periods ofprogressive compression of the tube from "the suction toward thedischarge,

and intervening periods of expansion in the same' direction, effecting,as a result, a continuous transfer of the liquid from the suction to andthrough the discharge. This is effected without loss of power due toleakage or friction and without the need of packing, or replacement ofpacking, thus avoiding all of the various sources of loss and inemciencyin the existing types of pump. At the same time-the action of the pumpis, as already pointed out, both continuous and positive and the pump soconstructed is capable of generating a head and lift greater than thatof any pump of similar size and power consumption, and it is adapted forproduction at a cost which is insignificant in comparison to any othertype of pump. 7

In place of the round tube I2, which may be of rubber or metal or anysuitably resilient material, a tube 20 has been devised which may be'ofresilient sheet metal with a seam at 2| at each side where the materialis joined by welding, clinching or soldering. This tube can besubstituted for the round tube shown in Figures 1 and 2 without anyimportant change in the construction.

Referring now to the construction shown in Figure 6, the drawings show acasing 25 which is similar to the casing or housing I in Figures 1, 2and 3, except as to the particular arrangement of the intake anddischarge passages 26 and 21, the function of which is interchangeableby reversing the direction of rotation. The arrangement of the frontplate is similar to the arrangement of the plate 3 in Figure 3, exceptfor the use of wing nuts 29 which are not essential, but are found mostconvenient for quick operation in opening the casing for any purpose.

The construction Figures 5 and 6 includes a resilient or otherwisecollapsible tube 30 which extends around the periphery of the casing 25on the inside from one of the openings 25, 21 to the other, beinginserted andsecured in or extended through the said openings. Referringto Figure 5, it will be noted that the casing or housing 25 provides anarcuate peripheral supporting chamber at support 32 which, with theouter peripheral surface 34 of the compressor member 33 provides anenclosure for the tube which limits its expansion to or substantially toits normal cross-sectional area preventing undue expansion and thetendency to failure due to the generation of excess back pressure as incase of vibration of the column of liquid constituting the head or duemerely to the necessity for supporting this head, the extent of whichhas no definite limit or to delivery against other pressures.

Compressor member 33 in the form shown comprises a circular disc whichmay be cut away to reduce the weight providing spokes 35. These spokesin the form shown are connected at their outer ends to a circular rim 36which is of slightly less width than the chamber 33 and presents anoutwardly disposed flat peripheral surface 34 and is preferably circularor substantially circular in the direction of its length and shown asflat transversely, i. e., parallel to the axis. One of the spokes 35 isslotted at 31, the slot being shown as radial and this slot is engagedby a roller 38, mounted on a stud 39 seated in the wall of the casing 25and arranged in parallel with the axis of the pump.

The member 33 is centrally apertured, providing an inwardly disposedbearing surface 40 which engaged anti-friction balls 4| providing anexternal anti-friction bearing for operating eccentric 42 which rotateson an eccentric pin 43 located eccentrically of the pump shaft 44 whichis mounted in bearings 45 in a boss 46 formed on the back side of thehousing 25. This housing also has a base 41.

In operation the shaft 44 is driven in any suitable manner as by meansof the motor l'l shown in Figure 3 or it may be operated by hand powertransmitted through and by way of a multiplying gear train or a'belt orany suitable type of multiplying gearing.

As the shaft 44 rotates the compression member 33 receives a slightreciprocatingmotion which is, however, in the form shown not quiterectilinear. The member 33 in the form shown moves vertically forsubstantially the full amount of the eccentricity of the pin 43 and italso rocks aiearet seen in Figure 6. The tube may be considered as.

first compressed adjacent to the intake or suction passage, the tube 30being thus collapsed As the point of compression progresses about thecasing, it travels away from the intake 27 toward the discharge. Thisresults in the creation of a vacuum back of the point of greatestcompression, so that the liquid is drawn .in and carried around thecasing, and discharged under pressure at 26. This operation beingcontinuous so long as the shaft is rotated, creates a suction headwhich, under proper conditions will closely approach 29 ft. and a.pressure head which depends on the desired lift or on the height of anylift pipe to which the pump may be attached or the extent of anypressure head against which the liquid is pumped.

It is of importance to note that in the manner illustrated and describedof anchoring the member 33 it does not rotate, but merely movesbackwardly and forwardly, applying progressive compression aboutsubstantially the entire length of the tube 30 so long as the shaft isrotated, so that there is no friction and no pulling of the tube whichwould be harmful, due to the tendency to stretch the tube so that thetube would otherwise be of very short life. With the construction shown,the life of the tube is greatly prolonged, being an important elementinthe production of a practical operative pump of this nature.

It is also of importance that the chamber 32 closely approximates incross-section the crosssection of the tube as determined by its externaldetermination so that any tendency of the tube to collapse due to backpressure is overcome.

I have thus described a pump embodying my invention in the preferredform, the description being specific and in detail, in order thatthemanner of constructing, applying, operating and using the same may befully understood, however, the specific terms herein are useddescriptively rather than in a limiting sense, the scope of theinvention being described in the claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A fluid pump comprising a housing having a substantially circulararcuate support, a re-= silient tube resting on said support and adaptedto be connected at one end to suction and at the other end to discharge,a rotary carrier having meansthereon arranged along the periphery of-thesame engaging the tube and compressing -and substantially closing itperiodically and progressively from the suction toward the discharge,the tube being permitted to expand progressively inthe same directionbetween said periods of compression, said compressing means beingarranged at different radii decreasing from two po nts of greatestcompression in the direction of rotation to give a gradually increasingcompression of the tube up'to said points of greatest compression, saidpoints of greatest compres sion being points of equal radii exceedingthe radius of said periphery at all other points, said periphery betweensaid points of greatest compression serving to support the walls of thetube preventing undue expansion thereof.

2. A pump comprising a compressible and expansible tube connected at oneend to the suction and at the other end to the discharge, anarcuate-support for said tube, a rotary carrier having rollers thereonarranged about the entire circumference of said carrier and spaced fromthe center of rotation by radii which decrease slightly from twoopposite points, the rollers being adapted to compress the tubeprogressively against the support substantially closing it as thecarrier rotates, the tube being permitted to expand progressively in thesame direction due to its resiliency following each compression, therollers between the points of greatest radii being adapted to supportthe tube against excessive back pressure.

3. In a pump of the type described, a collapsible tube with suction andpressure connections at its opposite ends, a substantially arcuatesupport for the tube, a pressure member shaped in substantialconformance with the support, a rotary eccentric actuating member and aguide for the pressure member adapted to prevent rotation but permittingoscillation thereof, the pressure member being supported in pressureapplying relation to the tube in opposition to said support, therotation of the eccentric serving to oscillate the pressurememberapplying pressure to the tube compressing and collapsing itprogressively, the progression being in the direction of the length andfromthe suction toward the pressure end.

4. A pump, as in claim 3, in which the pressure member and the supportform an elongated chamber which substantially encloses the tube,preventing undue expansion and consequent failure of the same.

CHARLES J.

